Posts tagged “devastyle”

CHROMAT is a brand that is clearly not for the faint of heart. The marriage of Victorian-era boning and avant-garde patterns are a combo that reminds me of The Fifth Element. LeeLoo would rock these in an End-of-the-World minute. (with or without Korben Dallas!)

Creator Becca McCharen uses her architectural background to draw up some sleek futuristic styles that have been worn on tour by Nicki Minaj, Madonna, and Queen Bey, just to name a few.

For her Mathletes collection, you can see the influence of all things sports-related, but I also get a big dose of “rocker-grunge girl lead vocalist that lives in New York and Tokyo” vibe permeating through those straps. (or maybe that’s just me?)

If you’re looking for some bold and edgy looks that you just KNOW you aren’t going to see on everyone else? All lines lead to CHROMAT.

The brand behind one of the most iconic looks in fashion history is throwing in the bejeweled towel.

Juicy Couture has closed it’s massive opulently-constructed doors in the U.S., making that about 120 brick-and-mortar stores set to shut down by the end of this month. It’s international stores will remain open, but for how long is unclear. Word has it that Kohl’s will carry the line beginning this Fall season. Couture and Kohl’s, two words Juicy fanatics never thought they would hear, until now.

The brand’s website is still up and running, but with a few snags (or should I say a full unraveling?)…no SALE section, negative on the store locator, and there’s absolutely no mention of the now well-known deterioration of the label; if you didn’t know any better, those generic statements of “JUICY’S NEW LOOK AND NEW ARRIVALS, COMING SOON!” on the website wouldn’t have you suspect anything…until you actually click on an item.

you can “notify me” when you stop lying.

Mysteriously, (insert sarcasm here) nothing seems to be in stock. On their Facebook page, there seems to be a divide between die hard Juicy fanatics and others who heard the latest news and are asking the question “who still buys this overpriced s*%#?” And as FB Likers question the future of their beloved brand, the standard generic statements (again!) continue to ensue:

Just in case you missed it, they are in the process of creating an exciting new Juicy retail program. Kids, can you say AUTOMATED?

The brand is synonymous with publicly perpetrating wealth without doing much work, thanks to early reality show celebutantes that donned their namesake’s tracksuit like it was their uniform or second skin…and for a while, it seemed like it was exactly that:

The undisputed triumvirate: Queens of Juicy.

So does this mean the end of “VIVA LA JUICY” forever? Or is this — like many fashion trends — going in the corner to die, only to resurrect and reinvent itself in a few years? I wouldn’t throw away those terrycloth threads just yet; everyone’s a sucker for a little nostalgia. Speaking of…

remember J.Lo and JaRule (the throwback duo!) and the feel-good song of summer 2001? This video single-handedly made me want to wear 5 skinny gold chains at a time, find out what made her skin so incredibly dewy without looking shiny (im still trying to master that one), and of course get my hands on a pink Juicy set. Or at least a modest look-alike.

Since the NBA season is officially over, (five time champs, go Spurs, go!) the sports world is shifting it’s focus from San Antonio and turning it’s sights to Brazil. In case you haven’t turned on your TV, been online, or set foot in a local bar, I’ll let you in on a little secret: THE WORLD CUP IS ON! It’s the latest good-natured excuse to put on your war paint and indulge in some healthy competition and rivalry. (sounds like my Monday nights when I’m watching RuPaul’s Drag Race..)

Adidas — being one of the official partners for the FIFA World Cup this year — wants to keep you in the groove by dropping their latest (and second!) collab with Brazilian label The Farm Company. Bright, bold, and in-your-face patterns are what you can expect from this collection that’s sure to fly off the shelves and sell out online. (I need EVERYTHING in the 5th picture, can someone help me out with that? :-) ) Make sure you get yours — the collab drops July 1st!

These are the two images I saw on Tumblr that stopped me in my tracks. When I discovered the other works executed by Patience Lekien, I knew I had to find out what made him tick. (His background stories about his pieces alone made me want to know more!) He’s become one of my favorite artists that I’ve (happily) stumbled upon, and hopefully he’ll become one of yours, too!

THE JUNQUI: Can you remember when you first started sketching/drawing? How/when did you figure out it was something you wanted to develop?

“Interracial Identities”

PATIENCE LEKIEN: I started drawing around 4. I remember I didn’t have many toys growing up, only a few that were dear to me. But it seemed I had an endless supply of paper and so I would just draw what I saw or what came to mind. My parents fueled my creativity by giving me supplies growing up. I didn’t make a conscious decision to develop my drawing skills. They kind of just manifested as I grew up because it was something I loved to do and it helped me escape from reality and create a world of my own, with characters, stories, and so on. I didn’t start taking art seriously until about two and a half years ago.

THE JUNQUI: I got so excited when I saw your “Grown Up Proud Family” work. Please tell me that you are involved in a future project!

PATIENCE LEKIEN: Yeah, I plan on creating more Proud Family pieces in the future. I’ve been working on part 2 of the graduation scene as well as other character scnes but it’s all been halted due to my internship and the time it takes. I’ll hopefully be back at it in a month or so. I don’t know where the project will take me, but I’m just glad people have taken a liking to it.

TJ: What pieces would you say get the most comments/questions/inquiries from other people?

PL: Definitely the Proud Family pieces. Mainly because the Proud Family itself is very known and is dear to many people’s hearts. We grew up with it, you know? One of the few black cartoons I had growing up.

(BACKGROUND: After Penny and friends graduated from high school, they celebrated by getting piercings together. Penny, Dijonay, and LaCienega all got stud nose rings. Zoey decided to finally break out of her shell and make a bold statement by getting a septum nose ring. Sticky wasn’t about that life, so he just got his ears pierced. Four years after graduation we catch up with Penny and friends once again.

Zoey graduated from a four year college and received a double major in Psychology and Women Studies. She now travels around the world working for a large nonprofit organization helping underprivileged children and women around the world. She is extremely free spirited and loves what she does.

Penny graduated from a four year college studying Communications with a minor in Race Studies, and graduated Magna Cum Laude of her class. She is now working towards her Masters in Education at Columbia. She also stopped relaxing her hair and went all natural, embracing her naps.

Sticky decided not to go to college and instead pursued his love of music. He is now a full-time producer and DJ and couldn’t be happier. He finally had his growth spurt and can finally fit into his pants. He now prefers to wear clothes that fit him. He has a newborn son whom he loves more than anything: Sticky Jr.

Dijonay went to a two year college to study nursing only to find out she hated it. She decided to drop out of the program. She took her side job of doing hair and made a career out of it, opening up her own salon. She is well known at what she does and it has brought her much fame. Upon dropping out, she also gave birth to her son, Sticky Jr. Her dream finally came true.

LaCienega attended a four year college for two years as undeclared, just because she had the money and the means. During the beginning of her junior year, she was told she had to choose a major. Indecisive, she decided to drop out and do something worth her time. She went into the modeling business and was extremely successful. She is currently working on dropping her first single.)

TJ: What are YOUR favorite pieces and why?

“One Blood”

PL: My number one favorite piece is probably “One Blood”. It’s just very powerful, both visually and emotionally. It focuses on unity within the black race. Every aspect of it was very personal to me while making it.

(BACKGROUND:This piece stemmed from a moment when I was on twitter and saw “#teamlightskin” and “#teamredbone” and for some reasons thoughts just came into my head and it all lead into this.

In this illustration there is a slave mother, holding her dead child. The child was born half white, half black, but because he had black features and very few white features, the father wanted nothing to do with him. The father often took out his anger on the child, and one day, he went too far. The mother is holding the child tight in her arms praying her son can be brought back to life. The blood symbolizes the unity between the two. They share the same blood.

The meaning behind this is to stop all the bullshit with blacks taking sides with skin color. We’re the same people, having gone, and going through the same struggle and we have to hold each other close and keep each other alive.)

TJ: I saw multiple pieces on LEVIATHAN, & I fell in love…I want to read that story! Is that a comic/Manga that you are developing and turning into a physical book?

PL: Yeah, I’ve been working on the first graphic novel here and there for the past two years. Unfortunately, it probably won’t be out anytime soon. But there will be a website launch that will have a basic overview of the story and the characters. It’s probably the project I’m most excited about because it focuses on many different types of struggles people face and these struggles are told through the many diverse characters in the story.

…also, LEVIATHAN becomes part of a larger universe (something like Marvel Universe or DC, but less tights and body suits, lol) with many different characters by different artists, and the joint project is called NOIR. But in the meantime, I’ll still be creating art to accompany the story!

TJ: What’s the story behind Hop Hop League Of Heroes, because I thought that was too dope!

(BACKGROUND: From L to R: 2CHAINZ: weapon of choice, his two large gold chains, are used to grab far away opponents or objects. The chains are coated with an aura that can turn into intense fire, burning and disintegrating anything it touches in seconds; NICKI MINAJ: able to take the form of other human beings by shapeshifting, by simply touching them. She is also a master of disguise; J COLE: can freeze anything he touches and he can manipulate ice and lower surrounding temperatures at will; WIZ KHALIFA: Holds the ability to set little things on fire. He can also make his opponents hallucinate by affecting their psychological being.)

PL: That started as a fun piece. At first, I didn’t plan on going far with it, but it’s been liked a lot, so that’s changed. I actually restarted the whole project and restructured it, so I can have more freedom in the designs of the music artists I choose. As for the story behind it, you’ll have to wait and see. I’m releasing the new and improved designs pretty soon… :)

TJ: Do you need to get into a certain element before you start a piece? (Certain kind of music, environment, food, tons of coffee? Lol)

“Hey! Arnold: What If?”

“David VS. Goliath (Pikachu VS. Charizard)”

PL: Nah. All I need is pencil, paper, and an idea, and I’m good to go. Most of my ideas begin on paper, until I execute it in Photoshop, Illustrator, or what have you. The hardest part is getting the idea, or motivation. Once I have that, the wheels just start turning.

TJ: What do you ultimately want others to feel when they view your work?

“Black In America”

“Mukar Athfu”

PL: It honestly depends on the piece. One of the strongest and most reoccurring themes in my art is empowerment. As a black male, I recognize my oppression based on my race, but I also recognize my privilege based on my gender. These often come into play in my art. I like to focus on themes such as black empowerment, female empowerment, social inequalities, and so on. I guess ultimately, I want people to be able to see that through my work.

Check out more work from PATIENCE LEKIEN and follow him for new updates:

Sneakerheads who pride themselves on wearing only the most exclusive. Self-proclaimed hypebeasts who jump on the latest trend, no matter what. Someone who doesn’t necessarily follow fads, but wants to preserve a treasured moment in an unconventional way. Thanks to Adidas’ latest groundbreaking news, everyone’s wishes will be granted.

Starting in August, Adidas will launch their photoprint app for their popular ZX Flux sneaker on iPhone and Android. This will allow you to take your Instagram photos and express yourself to the world in an innovative way. So forget simple “colorways” as the only means of kicks customization. That sloppy burger at that out-of-state diner you loved so much that you just HAD to take a picture of? That unbelievable sunset you captured before you slipped on a hill? The priceless snapshot of you tossing your cap in the air at your graduation? Yes, even your multiple selfies can all be showcased on your feet for the REAL world to see. This might actually take care of that “they’re wearing the same exact sneakers as me” annoying fashion faux-pas. It might also make you a Sherlock Holmes… don’t be surprised if you look down at someone’s feet and discover that you finally found your Instagram stalker!

If you were an imaginative individual with a bunch of Aussie bucks to spare, you would naturally use those bills as your canvas, right?

With the knowledge of pop culture and a great sense of visual humor, WordPress user A Bunch Of 5s produces monetary masterpieces that will make you LOL for real. (Sorry, I couldn’t pick just a handful of my favorites, they’re all too dope!)

Reportedly after the artist completes his pieces, they are released in the hopes that the lucky recipients will “hang them onto their fridge”. Art next to your grocery list…maybe it would help me remember to buy more milk. Or at the very least, some Sharpies.

If you were to ask the question, “Who is Jana “Jeyfree” Freeman”, you would undoubtedly get different responses. An eclectic soul; a bright light with a nomadic spirit; a stylish bohemian with artisan creativity; a make-up artist who just so happens to create melodic sounds of a trippy nature. She is all of these descriptions and more.

She’s no stranger to showcasing her multi-faceted creativity. Known for her skills with a brush — faces, blank canvases, acrylic/wire finger accessories, you name it — she’s recently honed her talents into expressing herself musically. Whether she’s one of the main acts that travels to Houston, ATL or NOLA on The Freak Show Tour, or she’s appearing in local venues in one of the 5 Boroughs, she always leaves her mark. And the occasional trail of Unicorn/Mermaid glitter.

You weren’t there getting dirt in your sandals, confetti in your hair, or fanning away the massive clouds of smoke. (some even from *Le Gasp* smoke machines!) But who cares? That doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy the festivities and live the boho-chic life vicariously through pictures. (Plus it’s alot cheaper…i dunno about YOU, but I need my coins!)

Want to look good while DOING good? H&M’s Conscious Collection covers all bases!

It’s commitment to utilizing organic materials and making less of an environmental impact is great…but that doesn’t mean that you’ll be running around in a potato sack! Think you have to choose between going green and being gorgeous? I don’t think so!

Has a certain desert rose/exotic vacay feel, doesn’t it? Well the weather is certainly warming up, so make sure you snatch up these pieces before they’re gone! (P.S. the orange dress is already sold out online!)

There is also a higher-end collection called Conscious Exclusive, where the spotlight is on more handcrafted designs and organic leather with ornate embellishments. These pieces are in certain stores, so let their customer service assist you in locating those hard-to-find goodies!